Cable terminal connector, quick-connect

ABSTRACT

Cable connector in which the individual conductors can be put in position manually, without special tools, and in response to fitting one connector member together with a counterpart connector member, the conductors are automatically connected with corresponding contacts.

United States Patent Inventor Jefl Tuchto Don Mills, Ontario, CanadaApp]. No 832,796 Filed June 12, 1969 Patented Aug. [0, I971 Assignee TheBunker-Rama Corporation Oak Brook, ll.

CABLE TERMINAL CONNECTOR, QUICK- CONNECT 8Clnims,7 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 339/98 lnt.Cl.v U HOlr 11/20 Field of Search 339/92,95, 97-99[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,274,530 9/1966 Michaely H339/97 P 3,427,553 2/l969 Smulowitz et al 339/97 3,474,384 l0/l969Quackenbush 339/36 3,5 l l,92l 5/l970 Pasternak 174/88 PrimaryExaminer-Ian A. Calvert Assistant Examiner-Joseph H. MCGlynnAttorneyFrederick M. Arbuckle ABSTRACT: Cable connector in which theindividual con ductors can be put in position manually, without specialtools, and in response to fitting one connector member together with acounterpart connector member. the conductors are automatically connectedwith corresponding contacts PATENTED AUG 1 0 Ian SHEET 1 OF 2 FIG. I

INVENTOR. JEFF TUCHTO ATTY PATENTEU we] own 3. 599.1723

sum 2 0F 2 FIG- 7 INVENTOR.

JEFF TUCHTO w (AM ATTY.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention resides in the field of cableshaving a relatively large number of conductors, and in connecting such acable in a connector. The invention is adapted particularly to telephonecables but of course is not limited thereto. Previously such a cable wasconnected to a connector member in the factory, and as a consequence thecables were put out by the factory in certain predetermined lengths,such as 4-foot, 6- foot, 8-foot lengths etc., with connecter membersattached thereto. However many situations in the field are encounteredwhere certain lengths, as those mentioned, were not applicable, and itwould be impracticable to carry a greater and full range of lengths tomeet all conditions, and therefore it was often necessary to makecompromises that were not always in the direction of efficiency.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION A broad object of the invention is to provide anovel cable connector operative for overcoming the disadvantagesreferred to above.

Another-object is to provide a connector which can be applied to acable, of the character indicated above, in a manual operation, andwithout special tools, whereby to facilitate application of theconnector to the cable in the field.

Another object is to provide a connector of the character just referredto, of special construction enabling the individual conductors of thecable to be manually snapped into place in the connector member, andheld there by friction, and so held in the subsequent operation ofconnecting that connector member with a counterpart connector memberwherein the conductors are automatically connected with correspondingcontacts.

An additional object is to provide a connector of the kind justpreviously referred to wherein the individual conductors arefrictionally held throughout long segments of the conductors, wherebythe conductors are frictionally held in position against displacement,and further wherein the terminal portions of the conductors includesegments disposed transverse to the direction of relative movement ofthe connector members in the connecting operation, whereby toeffectively produce electrical connection between the conductors andcorresponding contacts.

A still further object is to produce a connector of the foregoinggeneral character in which the conductors and contacts are brought intoand contained in an effective seal, such as an environmental seal. 7

A further and more specific object is to provide a cable connector ofthe foregoing general character having a novel construction including astripper plate which can be removed from the connector construction andheld in the hand for convenience and facility in connecting theconductors of the cables therewith, the stripper plate thereupon beingeasily incorporated in the assembly and the connector members easilybrought into interconnected relation.

DISCLOSURE OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings:

FIG. I is an exploded view of a connector embodying the features of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled connector, but partiallyin section;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the stripper plate and cable, isolated from theassembly, and showing the arrangement of the conductors as applied tothe stripper plate;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken at line 4-4 of FIG. 3',

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken at line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken at line 6-6 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view oriented according to line 7-7 ofFIG. 1 but showing the end cap in position with v relation to housing.

Referring in detail to the drawings FIG. 1 shows the connector inexploded view, all of the individual parts being separated, while FIG. 2is a cutaway perspective view of the assembled connector. The connectorincludes a top hood l0 and a bottom hood 12, identical but oppositelyarranged. The connector also includes a stripper plate 14, a retainingflange 16, a retaining plate 18, a contact housing 20, contacts 22, aretaining shell 24 and a pair of cable support brackets 26, 28 whichalso may be identical.

These figures also show cable ends 30, individually identified 30 a and30 b each cable having a plurality of similar conductors 31, identified31 a 31 b in the respective cables. Each hood 10, 12 includes a splitcollar extension 32 at one end for clamping the associated cable, and aflange extension 34 at the other end.In the sidewalls of each hood,adjacent the split collar extension are inwardly struck loops 36 forassociation with the brackets 26, 28 as will be referred to againhereinbelow. I

The stripper plate 14, forming aprincipal component of the presentinvention, isof insulation material, suchas a thermoplastic plasticmaterial and is preferably in the form of a block having a pair oflaterally spaced longitudinally extending side members 38 forming a slot39, and interconnected at the end by linking (FIG. 1) Each of the sidemembers 38 is provided with a plurality of grooves 42 extending in thedirection of the thickness of the stripper plate, the thickness beingsubstantial. The grooves are formed in opposite sides of each sidemember 38 and arranged correspondingly in pairs, those of each pairbeing disposed on lines 4l,'such as 41 a 41 b 41 c etc., arrangeddiagonally relative to the longitudinal direction of the block. Thegrooves are key hole shape in cross section, as shown best in FIG. 4,each having a narrow opening 44 and an inner portion 46 substantiallycylindrical, approximating the diameter of the individual conductors 3!but slightly smaller, for frictionally holding those conductors asreferred to again hereinbelow. The grooves 42 are interconnected bycross grooves 48 (FIG. 3) 3 on the bottom surface of the stripper plate,the upper surface shown in FIG. 1 being the top surface. These crossgrooves 48 preferably extend more deeply from the bottom surface of thestripper plate and need not be of keyhole shape but may be of uniformwidth throughout their depth.

Associated with each pair of grooves 42 is an aperture or contact hole50- also disposed diagonally and substantially perpendicular to the line41 interconnecting the associated grooves. These apertures extendthrough the stripper plate from top to bottom and each includes atransverse rib or web 52 extending from the top side (FIG. 1) downwardlyto a position short of the bottom side, as shown in FIG. 5. Theseapertures at the bottom may diverge slightly in downward direction.

In attaching the cable to the connector, the outer insulation of thecable is removed an appropriate length but it is not necessary to removeany of the insulation from the individual conductors. The cable isplaced on the stripper plate, over the slot 39 as indicated in FIG. 3and the individual conductors 31 are applied to the stripper plate,which is done manually and without any tools, by individually handlingthe conductors, end of each one is inserted down through the slot 39 andthen grasped by the fingers at the bottom and pulled outwardly acrossthe corresponding side member 38 and upwardly to a position in which theterminal end of the conductor is adjacent the top surface of thestripper plate. Those segments of the conductor overlying the sidesurfaces of the side member 38 are snapped into the two grooves 42 of apair, i.e., it is forced through the narrow openings 44 which arenarrower than the diameter of the conductor and pushed into the largeportions 46. As indicated above, the large portions 46 may be slightlysmaller in diameter than the conductors, and to accommodate thissituation, the insulation on the individual conductors may extendslightly out through the narrow-opening 44. The conductor is thus heldby friction in place throughout the full length of the two grooves 42 ofthe pair, and this holding effect is enhanced by the substantial rightangle turns in theconductor across the bottom of the stripper plate.

All of the conductors of the cable are then put into position in thesame manner, the stripper plate having a number of pairs of groovescorresponding to the number of conductors in the cable with which it isdesigned for use. In the present instance there are 50 pairs of grooves,25 in each side member 38, and 50 individual conductors in the cable.

The conductors thus applied to the stripper plate are arranged forelectrical contact engagement with corresponding contacts 22. Thecontacts 22 are of known kind, and preferably are of silver. Eachcontact includes a main shank portion 54 and forked elements 56, with ashoulder element 58 therebetween. The contacts 22 are mounted in thecontact housing 20 in association with the retaining plate 18. Thelatter has a plurality of apertures 60 corresponding and aligned withthe apertures 50 in the stripper plate 14. The retaining plate 18 isprovided with a surrounding ledge or shoulder 62 for use in clamping itin position in the assembly. The contact housing 20 includes apertures64 corresponding in number and position with the apertures 60 and 50.The contact housing 20 preferably has a narrow bottom portion 66 and awider and longer upper portion 68 forming a continuous downwardly facingshoulder 70 through which the apertures 64 open.

The retaining plate 18 is fitted on the contact housing 20 and the twotogether into the retaining shell 24, the latter having an inwardlyturned flange 72 against which the shoulder 70 engages, the flange beingof lesser depth than the shoulder transversely FIG. 2 whereby to provideclearance for the lower ends of the contacts 22. Tile retainingflangejl6 is fitted over the retaining plate 18, the retaining flange 16having an upper inturned flange 74 which engages the shoulder 62. Thecontacts 22 are then put in place by inserting them through the alignedapertures 60, 64, the shank portions 54 thereof being exposed downwardlybeyond the shoulder 70 and the conductors 30 b are connected thereto ina suitable manner such as indicated in FIG. 2.

This subassembly is then fitted into the lower hood 12 while thestripper plate 14 with the cable 30 a secured thereto is fitted in theupper hood 10. The angle-shape cable support brackets 26, 28 are put inplace, each having a longitudinal flange 76 and a transverse flange 78,the latter having side prongs 80 which are fitted into the loops 36 inthe sidewalls of the hoods (FIG. '7). The split collar extensions 32 maynow be secured as by screws 82.

The full assembly may now be effected by fitting together the top partwhich includes the mounted stripper plate 14 in the top hood togetherwith the lower counterpart including the bottom hood 12 with thesubassembly referred to mounted therein. The two main parts are thensecured together as by locking screws 86 extending through the flangeextensions 34 on the hoods and corresponding flange elements on theother members, namely, flanges 76 on the brackets 26, 28, flanges 88 onthe retaining shell 24 and flanges 90 on the retaining flange 16, theselocking screws being threaded into related rivet nuts 92.

In assembling the parts together as thus described, the apertures 50 inthe stripper plate 14 are of course aligned with the apertures 60 in theretaining plate 18 and thereby with the contacts 22 and pursuant to theoperation of clamping the various components together as by turning thelocking screws 86, the stripper plate 14 is forcibly moved intooperative con nection with the subassembly referred to (24, 20, l8, l6)and the forked prongs 56 move into the apertures 50 and the segments ofthe conductors disposed in the cross grooves 48 (FIG. 3) are moved downinto the space between those prongs, the prongs cutting through theinsulation on the conductors and establishing firm and effectiveelectrical contact engagement between the contacts and the conductors.

The attachment of the connector to a cable requires no unusual skill,and no special tools are required, the entire connecting operation canbe performed with the use of a screwdriver as the only necessary tool.The conductors can be applied to and secured to the stripper plate 14 ina simple manual operation i.e., the use of the fingers in manipulatingthe end portions of the conductors and snapping them into the grooves.Making the final electrical contact engagement is done by forcing thevarious components of the whole connector together as by turning up thelocking screws 86 by a screwdriver.

Each rib or web 52 (FIG. 5) 5 is positioned for entrance into the slotbetween the forked prongs 56 of the contact, in the full mountedposition of the latter, thereby rigidifyin g the position of the contactin the aperture. The rib 52 extends downwardly only sufficiently toproject between the terminal elements of the prongs, The divergent shapeat the bottom of the apertures guide the contact prongs into theapertures and the main part limit load deflection on the prongs, thedesign increasing the pressure on the conductor wires and providing gastight contact joints and improved solid state junction.

The present invention makes it practical to apply connectors to theconductors in the field by eliminating previous operations, such assoldering, which would be entirely impractical in the field. Accordinglya workman can cut a cable to any length according to the particularinstallation and apply a connector thereto in a simple operationconsisting only of a manual operation and including a simple tool suchas a screwdriver. It will be understood that the construction can beincorporated in both counterparts of the complete connector,

The construction provides an environmental seal, the contacts cutthrough the insulation and establish effective engagement with thecopper of the conductors and maintain contact despite any corrosion thatmay develop. Standard wire wrap may be used on the conductors. Thestripper plate 14 may be sufficiently small so that it can be drawnthrough the conduit with the cable. There is no possibility of theconductors being forced out of the contacts. The conductors can beremoved from and reapplied to the contacts numerous times withoutoverstressing or causing plastic deformation in the conductor wires orcontacts, or in any way impairing a solid state joint.

I claim: 7

1. A connector member for use with a cable having a plurality of similarconductors, and adapted for connection with a counterpart connectormember, wherein the connector member, in the connecting movement, itsmoved relatively toward the counterpart connector member, a stripperplate having means for frictionally holding the conductors individually,in position for movement into electrical contact engagement withcorresponding contacts in the counterpart connector member, the stripperplate having grooves therein having entrance openings smaller than thediameter of the conductors, and large inner portions substantially fullybut fric tionally receiving the conductors whereby the conductors can bemoved into the grooves in the directions transverse to theirlongitudinal direction, the conductors being held by the stripper platein an arrangement whereby the conductors have a plurality of segments,including a segment transverse to the direction of movement of theconnectors in connecting direction, and also including successivesegments which proceed around corners and thereby increase the frictionholding effect between the stripper plate and the conductors.

2 Connector construction adapted for connecting cables each having aplurality of similar conductors, a pair of substantially identicalhousing members each having an end opening for receiving a saidconductor, and means at the opening for securing the cable in place,means detachably securing the housing members together in oppositepositions so that connected cables extend from opposite ends of thesecured housing members, a first of the housing members including meansmounting a plurality of contacts extending transversely toward the otherhousing member, and'connected with respective ones of the conductors ofthe corresponding cable, the second of the housing members including astripper plate having conformations for frictionally holding theconductors of the corresponding cable, the stripper plate havingapertures for receiving the contacts in the first housing member indirection longitudinally of the contacts in the movement of the housingmembers and contents therein transversely toward each other to the aboveindicated secured position, and the stripper plate holding theconductors in such position as to effect contact engagement therewith bythe contacts in the first housing member.

3. Connector construction comprising a stripper plate including alongitudinal member having a plurality of pairs of grooves, thosegrooves of each pair being on opposite sides of the longitudinal memberand relatively offset longitudinally, each groove having an inner mainportion dimensioned for substantially receiving a conductor, and anentrance opening of lesser transverse dimension than the conductorwhereby the conductor can be forced through the opening and snapped intothe groove, and thereby held in the groove by friction, the grooves inthe longitudinal member being such that when a conductor is fittedtherein, the conductor includes a plurality of segments, including onetransverse to the direction of movement of the stripper plate toward acounterpart device in a direction generally parallel with said grooves,the stripper plate also including an aperture between and parallel withthe grooves of each pair, for receiving contacts therein in the movementof the stripper plate toward a counterpart device, and the correspondingtransverse segments being thereby electrically engaged by the contacts.

4. Connector construction according to claim 3 wherein each openingincludes a transverse web therein adjacent its remote end relative tomovement toward the counterpart device, whereby in association withcontacts each having a pair of prongs received in each such opening, theends of the prongs extend into the region of the web and the web isoperative for maintaining the prongs in position at opposite sides ofthe opening.

I 5. Connector construction comprising a stripper plate including a sidemember having elongated apertures for receiving contacts, and aplurality of side grooves on each of opposite sides and parallel withthe aperture, the grooves being arranged in pairs with those in eachpair being on opposite sides of the side member and on opposite sides ofone of the apertures, the side member also having a cross grooveinterconnecting the grooves of each pair traversing the correspondingaperture and being deeper at the center than at the ends, the groovesbeing adapted for receiving a conductor with a segment in each of thegrooves, and contacts movable into the apertures and operable inresponse to movement into the apertures for contacting the segments ofthe conductors in the cross grooves and forcing it into the deep centerportion of the cross groove.

6. Connector construction according to claim 5 and including a pair ofsuch side members spaced apart to form a central longitudinal spacetherebetween and interconnected by end elements, whereby to enable acable having a plurality of similar conductors to be positioned alongsaid space and the conductors to be projected into and through saidspace and into the grooves of both the side members.

7. A connector member for a cable comprising a stripper plate, a housingremovably enclosing the stripper plate, the housing having an openingwith means for securing therein a cable having a plurality of similarconductors with the conductors extending into and exposed in theinterior of the housing, the stripper plate including a pair oflongitudinally extending, transversely spaced side members, each sidemember having a plurality of pairs of grooves, the grooves of each pairbeing on opposite sides of the corresponding side member and extendingtransverse to the longitudinal direction of the side members, eachgroove including a main portion dimensioned for substantially gripping aconductor and an entrance opening extending longitudinally the fulllength of the groove of less transverse dimension than the conductoradapted to forcibly receive the conductor through the entrance openingand snappingly receive the conductor in the main portion of the groove,and each side member having means for supporting segments of theconductors in position transverse to the longitudinal direction of thegrooves for contacting engagement with electrical contacts in connectingthe connector member with a counterpart connector member in movementparallel with said grooves. I

8. A connector member according to claim 7 in conjunction with thecounterpart connector, and comprising an assembly including saidhousing, a block fitted to the stripper plate, the block having aplurality of contacts individual to the conductors, and positioned forelectrically cooperating therewith upon movement of the connectormembers together in a connecting operation, and the housing includingelements secured together in clamping effect for securing said block andstripper plate together in effective cooperation between the conductorsand contacts.

1. A connector member for use with a cable having a plurality of similarconductors, and adapted for connection with a counterpart connectormember, wherein the connector member, in the connecting movement, ismoved relatively toward the counterpart connector member, a stripperplate having means for frictionally holding the conductors individually,in position for movement into electrical contact engagement withcorresponding contacts in the counterpart connector member, the stripperplate having grooves therein having entrance openings smaller than thediameter of the conductors, and large inner portions substantially fullybut frictionally receiving the conductors whereby the conductors can bemoved into the grooves in the directions transverse to theirlongitudinal direction, the conductors being held by the stripper platein an arrangement whereby the conductors have a plurality of segments,including a segment transverse to the direction of movement of theconnectors in connecting direction, and also including successivesegments which proceed around corners and thereby increase the frictionholding effect between the stripper plate and the conductors. 2.Connector construction adapted for connecting cables each having aplurality of similar conductors, a pair of substantially identicalhousing members each having an end opening for receiving a saidconductor, and means at the opening for securing the cable in place,means detachably securing the housing members together in oppositepositions so that connected cables extend from opposite ends of thesecured housing members, a first of the housing members including meansmounting a plurality of contacts extending transversely toward the otherhousing member, and connected with respective ones of the conductors ofthe corresponding cable, the second of the housing members including astripper plate having conformations for frictionally holding theconductors of the corresponding cable, the stripper plate havingapertures for receiving the contacts in the first housing member indirection longitudinally of the contacts in the movement of the housingmembers and contents therein transversely toward each other to the aboveindicated secured position, and the stripper plate holding theconductors in such position as to effect contact engagement therewith bythe contacts in the first housing member.
 3. Connector constructioncomprising a stripper plate including a longitudinal member having aplurality of pairs of grooves, those grooves of each pair being onopposite sides of the longitudinal member and relatively offsetlongitudinally, each groove having an inner main portion dimensioned forsubstantially receiving a conductor, and an entrance opening of lessertransverse dimension than the conductor whereby the conductor can beforced through the opening and snapped into the groove, and thereby heldin the groove by friction, the grooves in the longitudinal member beingsuch that when a conductor is fitted therein, the conductor includes aplurality of segments, including one transverse to the direction ofmovement of the stripper plate toward a counterpart device in adirection generally parallel with said grooves, the stripper plate alsoincluding an aperture between and parallel with the grooves of eachpair, for receiving contacts therein in the movement of the stripperplate toward a counterpart device, and the corresponding transversesegments being thereby electrically engaged by the contacts. 4.Connector construction according to claim 3 wherein each openingincludes a transverse web therein adjacent its remote end relative tomovement toward the counterpart device, whereby in association withcontacts each having a pair of prongs received in each such opening, theends of the prongs extend into the region of the web and the web isoperative for maintaining the prongs in position at opposite sides ofthe opening.
 5. Connector construction comprising a stripper plateincluding a side member having elongated apertures for receivingcontacts, and a plurality of side grooves on each of opposite sides andparallel with the aperture, the grooves being arranged in pairs withthose in each pair being on opposite sides of the side member and onopposite sides of one of the apertures, the side member also having across groove interconnecting the grooves of each pair traversing thecorresponding aperture and being deeper at the center than at the ends,the grooves being adapted for receiving a conductor with a segment ineach of the grooves, and contacts movable into The apertures andoperable in response to movement into the apertures for contacting thesegments of the conductors in the cross grooves and forcing it into thedeep center portion of the cross groove.
 6. Connector constructionaccording to claim 5 and including a pair of such side members spacedapart to form a central longitudinal space therebetween andinterconnected by end elements, whereby to enable a cable having aplurality of similar conductors to be positioned along said space andthe conductors to be projected into and through said space and into thegrooves of both the side members.
 7. A connector member for a cablecomprising a stripper plate, a housing removably enclosing the stripperplate, the housing having an opening with means for securing therein acable having a plurality of similar conductors with the conductorsextending into and exposed in the interior of the housing, the stripperplate including a pair of longitudinally extending, transversely spacedside members, each side member having a plurality of pairs of grooves,the grooves of each pair being on opposite sides of the correspondingside member and extending transverse to the longitudinal direction ofthe side members, each groove including a main portion dimensioned forsubstantially gripping a conductor and an entrance opening extendinglongitudinally the full length of the groove of less transversedimension than the conductor adapted to forcibly receive the conductorthrough the entrance opening and snappingly receive the conductor in themain portion of the groove, and each side member having means forsupporting segments of the conductors in position transverse to thelongitudinal direction of the grooves for contacting engagement withelectrical contacts in connecting the connector member with acounterpart connector member in movement parallel with said grooves. 8.A connector member according to claim 7 in conjunction with thecounterpart connector, and comprising an assembly including saidhousing, a block fitted to the stripper plate, the block having aplurality of contacts individual to the conductors, and positioned forelectrically cooperating therewith upon movement of the connectormembers together in a connecting operation, and the housing includingelements secured together in clamping effect for securing said block andstripper plate together in effective cooperation between the conductorsand contacts.